what is the language requirement for studying finnish degree

[natty]

hi there,

Would anyone know what would be the finnish level needed to study a degree in finnish polytecnics or universities? Or what other requirements? For example studying physiotherapy in finnish( as there is no english) in metropolitan or Arcada?

Any info woul dbe appreciated

[Pursuivant]

Jos meinaat päästä sisään niin haet, muuten ei.

[illone]

Your Finnish has to be immaculate.
If you are a foreigner, I am sure that they would accept you as a student, but you would have to pass a Finnish exam, proving that you are capable of doing your studies in the native language.

In comparison to foreign "international students" in Canada, your Finnish would have to be much better than the poor English that International students speak when attending universities over here in Toronto (example).

[Rosamunda]

Your Finnish has to be immaculate.
If you are a foreigner, I am sure that they would accept you as a student, but you would have to pass a Finnish exam, proving that you are capable of doing your studies in the native language.

Could you elucidate? I'd be interested to know what you mean by "immaculate" (eg using the European Framework B2? C1?) I fail to see why absolute fluency in Finnish is necessary. Of course that would depend on the subject area. I do know some non-Finns who have completed degrees with less than perfect Finnish, so I think your "immaculate" is not always the case. And it might be a shame if it was.

As you point out, the entrance criteria for ordinary degrees taught in English is usually around an IELTS 6.0 or 6.5 (in Finland) and many foreign students do well in the studies and get good degrees even though their level of English is not "native" when they start the course. I was at a conference recently where language level testing was discussed and the point was made that many Asian students who arrive with poor English skills are actually out-performing Finns by the end of the courses. It would be a shame to deny them the opportunity to study based purely on their English skills.

Surely one of the best ways of learning Finnish is via "content" (look up CLIL in Wikipedia)....

[Kate_2009]

I was told that you needed to be C1 or C2 level, which is a fluent user in order to successfully complete an All Finnish degree. I am B1 at the moment and I take some classes completely in Finnish they are hard but for an entire degree in Finnish you would need to be very close to a native speaker

[Rosamunda]

In that case the requirements for taking an all Finnish degree are not consistent with the requirements for taking an all-English degree in Finland (an IELTS 6.0 is roughly B2 if you look at the equivalences on this chart)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_f ... _languages (scroll down for the equivalences).

Even for the Finnish matriculation (high school) exam, foreign students are compensated for their lack of Finnish skills through a points allocation. One of my son was accepted onto a lukio programme that is taught entirely in Finnish and at that time he was definitely NOT C1/C2. I'm sure some of the UAS have a similar attitude towards non-native speakers.

I think anyone wanting to apply to a UAS/polytechnic to study for an all-in-Finnish degree should contact the university and ask them specifically what their requirements are. I suspect each establishment has its own requirements depending on the type of course and even the availability of places. If a course has a shortage of applicants and risks being discontinued, then I think the faculty would be more than happy to make some exceptions.

[sinikala]

I was at a conference recently where language level testing was discussed and the point was made that many Asian students who arrive with poor English skills are actually out-performing Finns by the end of the courses.

You are talking about UAS curses in English, and that the Asians with initially poor English are by the end of the course outperforming the Finns in what ... in English language or in the subject of the course?

If it's the latter, it's not so surprising, the calibre of students found at the UAS is, imho, not exactly great. The ones I've encountered are some way below the standard of undergrads from the proper unis. & tend not to be quite so bright or motivated.

Whereas some of the Asians are pretty smart and highly motivated, and if they had Finnish skills as opposed to just English, would have sailed into a full uni. course, but end up doing a course which doesn't really stretch them.

[AldenG]

What is the level in English of the teachers of the English-language curricula?

It would be queer (though when is that ever a hinder, really) if a university demanded better English of its students than it demanded of the teachers under which they would study. Thus they might be more forgiving in the English-language programs. With Finnish-language programs, the bar can be set arbitrarily high for Finnish competency, regardless of whether there is good cause.

[Rosamunda]

I was at a conference recently where language level testing was discussed and the point was made that many Asian students who arrive with poor English skills are actually out-performing Finns by the end of the courses.

You are talking about UAS curses in English, and that the Asians with initially poor English are by the end of the course outperforming the Finns in what ... in English language or in the subject of the course?

..in the subject of the course. Presumably if they are studying in English their Finnish skills will not improve much. From what I have heard from talking to students the foreign students do not mix with the native Finns much outside of the classroom.

As for the teachers.... I won't comment on that but the Ministry of Education published a report a couple of years ago recommending (amongst many other things) that all teachers teaching in English should sit an English Level Test. Of course the Unis are free to set their own standards for their student in-take and for their own teaching staff.

[Pursuivant]

) that all teachers teaching in English should sit an English Level Test.

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